title: ARB candesartan and CCB amlodipine in hypertensive patients: the CASE-J trial.
abstract: The Candesartan Antihypertensive Survival Evaluation in Japan (CASE-J) trial was a comparative study of the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), candesartan, and a calcium channel blocker (CCB), amlodipine, regarding the incidence of cardiovascular events in high-risk Japanese hypertensive patients. The study design was a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, active-controlled, two-arm, parallel-group comparison study with a response-dependent dose titration and blinded assessment of the end point. The CASE-J trial enrolled 4728 patients, with a mean age of 63.8 years and a mean BMI of 24.6 kg/m(2), who were randomly assigned to either candesartan- or amlodipine-based treatment regimens. Blood pressure was well controlled to the level of less than 140/80 mmHg in both of the treatment regimens. During 3.2 years of follow-up, primary cardiovascular events occurred in 134 patients in each of the two treatment-based regimens, resulting in no significant difference in the incidence of cardiovascular events between them (hazard ratio: 1.01; 95% confidence interval: 0.79-1.28; p = 0.969). In 404 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, a significantly larger decrease in left ventricular mass index 3 years after enrollment was observed in candesartan-based (n = 205) than amlodipine-based (n = 199) regimens (-22.9 vs -13.4 g/m(2), respectively; p = 0.023). Furthermore, new-onset diabetes occurred in fewer patients taking candesartan than in those taking amlodipine, resulting in a 36% relative risk reduction (p = 0.030). The CASE-J trial demonstrated that both an ARB, candesartan, and a CCB, amlodipine, equally suppressed the incidence of cardiovascular events. The ARB may confer more beneficial effects to hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy or for those at-risk of diabetes than CCB.
authors.affiliation: Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogihara
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Kazuwa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saruta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D013777:Tetrazoles; D017311:Amlodipine; C081643:candesartan